Dress-shield.



No. 709,935. Patented Sept. 30, I902.

I A. T. STEVENSON.

DRESS SHIELD.- (Application filed Junu 21, 1901.) (No Model.)

F B-v1 WITNESSES: iNVENTOR We ATTORNEY 1w: mums vflzns co wow-mun" WASHINGTON, a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER T. STEVENSON, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

DRESS-SHIELD.

SPECIFICATION formingpart Of Letters Patent No. 709.935, dated September 30, 1902. Applioation'filed June 21, 1901. Serial No. 65,396. (No model.)

To a, whom, it ntcty concern: 7

Be it kn own that LALEXANDER T. STEVEN- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Michigandiave invented certain new and use- 'ful Improvements in Dress-Shields; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to dress-shields; and the improvement consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts of a dressshield whereby the objects of my invention are attained.

The objects are to'produce a dress-shield that is light and flexible, sanitary, odorless, and impervious to moisure and to the acids of perspiration, to provide means for mounting a thin flexible sheet of annealed aluminium or other non-corrodible metal between the covers of a dress-shield,so that the metal sheet will not crack or break, and to provide a metallic dress-shield with an outercover or lin-' ing which may be removed and replaced at will.

My improved dress-shield is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side view of a shield broken awayin parts. Fig. 2 is asection on thelinew a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar section showing a modified form of the metal sheet.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the

shield consists in an inner lining 1,0fcloth or other suitable material such as is commonly used in the manufactu re of dress-shields, and an outerlining 2,0f similar material. Between the inner lining 1 and the outer lining 2 is interposed a thin flexible sheet of metal leaf, such as aluminium, extending over the entire area of the linings. This intermediate sheet 3 is cemented to theinnerlining 1,and the outer lining2 is then attached by stitching or binding to the lining 1, completely inclosing the metal leaf between the linings. Since the metal sheet extends over the entire area of the shield, thereis no opportunity for moisture to come in contact with the inner lining l,which,.

together with the metal sheet, will last indefinitely. The outer lining can be removed, and both it and the metal leaf can be thoroughly cleansedas desired and then replaced, thus rendering the shield aseptic and odorless. The metal sheet is so lightand flexible that it conforms to the movement of the body without apparent stiffness. In practice I prefer to make the metal sheet in one piece by molding it around a form of suitable shape; but it may be made of two side pieces having their overlapping edges 3 cemented together or fastened in any other suitable manner. If the fabric of the inner liningis very thin and Woven in one piece, it is desirable to sew or knit in the fold of the lining a round flexible cord or welt 4, forming a rib, over whichthe aluminium leaf is bent, thereby-preventing the leaf from bending too sharply and possibly breaking. Since the metal leaf is both im pervious to moisture and unaffected by the acids of perspiration, it effectually prevents any moisture from reaching either the inner lining of the shield or the clothing of the wearer.

An important advantage of the improved shield herein described over shields heretofore produced from rubber or other compounds is that of itself it develops no odor when subjected to the heat'of the body, as

is the case with shields made from material having a distinctive offensive odor.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a dress-shield the combination with an inner folded lining having a thin flexible 3. A dress-shield comprising an inner cloth.

lining, a thin flexible leaf of non-corrosive metal secured to said lining and covering the their contiguous surfaces, substantially as IO entire area of one side thereof, together with described. 7 an outer cloth lining removably sewed to the In testimony whereof I affix my signature innerlining over the metal leaf,substantially in presence of two Witnesses. as described and for the purposes set forth. T 1 r 4. In combination with the inner and outer ALEXAL DER '1 SFEVENSON' linings of a dress-shield, a thin leaf of fiexi- \Vitnesses:

ble non-corrosive metal interposed between WILLIAM A. STEPHENS, said linings, and covering the entire area of l I. GOULD. 

